Heavy Rains May Lead to "Mosquito Madness," this Hurricane Season

GAINESVILLE, Fla.- Last June Tropical Storm Debby unleashed record rainfall levels and flooding across North Central Florida.

The gallinipper is one species of floodwater mosquito, that many floridians are familiar with.

University of Florida Mosquito Researcher, Dr. Phil Kaufman explains they are, “One of the many species that develop in these flood water habitats, it’s not invasive it’s one of our normal species, it’s large for a mosquito, but there’s nothing unusual about it.”

These parasites spawn from their eggs that remain dry and dormant for years.

And when they mature they will be hungry, in the case of the females...for blood.

TV20 learned at a USDA lab that mosquitoes are attracted to you whether you like it or not so the best thing to do is prepare.

There’s a variety of things that the average Gainesville resident can do to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

Including lacing your clothing with repellant, and emptying containers of standing water from your yard..